Goals and method

All living beings are conditioned. Already a unicellular organism reacts differently to nearby nutrition or poison: in
the first case there is approaching, in the second case avoiding. This primitive form of desire and aversion enhances
the survival chances of the organism.
But sometimes, notably after environmental changes, an organism may be over-conditioned. Insects orient
themselves to the infinitely distant sun, making a fixed angle to it during flight. This causes them to fly in a straight
line, a useful form of conditioning. After homo sapiens discovered how to make a fire, the insects also kept a fixed
angle to that source of light. But now the fire is not infinitely distant; the insect makes a spiral towards and into the
flame with dramatic consequences from their point of view. We say that the insect is over-conditioned. We all know
that some of our friends are doing things that are not so good for them. They even may know this themselves, but
cannot help repeating the behaviour pattern. And if we are honest with ourselves, we sometimes do this as well. This
creates in us suffering.
Time may evolve insects to higher insects, that can over-rule their tendency to keep a fixed angle with a light source.
This may take many centuries. Humans have the capacity to de-condition within their lifetime, so that they do no
longer suffer from their over-conditionings. This is the goal of insight meditation, also called vipassana: freeing oneself
from over-conditioning and the resulting suffering. This de-conditioning (or better stated re-conditioning) is
liberating, as we have more choice possibilities for our behaviour. The path towards this de-conditioning is
remarkable, interesting, and a source of joy. Also it brings triple peace: with ourselves, others, and the world. This
nurtures unconditional love: being able to give without needing something back, which is important for your personal
relationships.
The method is simple and effective. We sit in a quite place, alone or with others. We do this in a comfortable way, so
that we can keep sitting for a while; we sit with dignity: straight up, not leaning back; we call this active relaxation. It is
a helpful condition to recondition. After we have brought ourselves in this position, we check our state of mind. Are we
still a bit excited, as we had to hurry to come here on time? Or are we relaxed? Are we slightly irritated, because
something happened today, or even very irritated? We may also be happy. Or full of excitement. Do not ask yourself
these questions by thinking. Just observe how you are, what is the state of your mind. Be honest: do not say to yourself
that you are peaceful because you think that is the proper state in a meditation class. As a botanist you observe what is.
Without liking or disliking. This stance is called mindfulness. It is one of the principal things that has to be
developed by disciplined effort. And we will discover that it can be trained. Quite similar to a jogger who trains his or
her legs and stamina, the meditator can learn to have continuing sharp mindfulness.
The course intends to give experience with the possibility to allow mind-states to be modified. Those interested in
pursuing this path after the course will be directed to excellent Vipassana centers and teachers (e.g. near Roma).
The methodology is quite scientific. Buddha, who developed the method of vipassana, emphasized not to believe
books, traditions, teachers (including himself), but rely on experience and its tested consequences. The present Dalai
Lama states that if science and Buddhism are in contradiction with each other, then Buddhism has to be adapted.
Vipassana teachers are not gurus: the pupil keeps his or her independence and responsibility of what to do. The
teachers are only spiritual friends, who may help to diminish suffering, having some experience with the path of
purification.

Summary 1
The Path and the Five Hindrances
The path
discipline concentration insight (= purification step)
Sitting straight but relaxed, not moving; paying attention to the rise and fall of the abdomen.
Walking straight but relaxed; paying attention to the movement of the foot; opening eyes, looking forward at infinity;
making a rest between two steps, with both feet firmly on the ground.
We do not do a breathing or walking exercise, but an attention exercise. Use naming and noting, both with
awareness having a small distance from the object. Without judgement or wish to change yourself.
Hindrances 1. desire; 2. aversion; 3. restlessness; 4. sleepiness; 5. doubt.
Switching Pay attention to primary meditation object. If a visitor comes, that is more prominent, then switch by
naming or noting that object and return. If it is a thought, then call it thinking, not by the content of the thinking. If it
is a sound, call it hearing, not the content/meaning of the sound. For example if a police car comes by that is
prominent, then you note hearing, hearing, and since we often cant avoid knowing that it is a police car, we say
thinking, and return to the basis exercise.
Lesson 1
The path and the five Hindrances
The path: sitting and walking meditation.
For sitting meditation one chooses a position that is comfortable and can be maintained for a while. One sits
straight up in a dignified way, but at the same time relaxed: an active relaxed position. One checks whether the spine is
positioned in a straight manner. One closes the eyes. Then one brings the attention to the breathing, in fact to the
raising and falling of the abdomen during breathing. One breathes normally, by preference without interfering with its
flow. If one has a long breath one knows this by direct observing. The same holds if the breath is short, smooth, or
sligh tly shaking. If sometimes we cannot help to direct the breathing, then we know this as well.
To help concentration on the breathing we may use the technique of naming: one says in the mind rising .,
falling . ; rising ., falling . . Continuing all the time, at the right time (synchronising the word and the act).
Naming prevents that the mind wonders. But if nevertheless the mind does wonder anyway, then as soon as one
notices this one says: thinking, thinking. And then one returns to the basis exercise of observing the breathing in the
abdomen. This usually has to be repeated many times before concentration settles.
The other basis exercise is walking meditation. One starts with standing: standing, standing, standing. One feels
the difference with the standing position, the temperature of the floor, its hardness, etcetera. After that, walking, one
makes small steps and says right goes thus and left goes thus, always in a synchronized way. The point is that our
attention is with the movement of each foot. After each step one places both feet on the ground. One allows for a short
pauze: rest, rest.
To help concentration even more, one may agree with oneself not to be allowed to think while making a step, thinking
being allowed only to occur when one is in rest with both feet on the floor. Before moving a foot one should be sure to
pay attention to it. And one may push away the thoughts by remaining with the sensations in the foot. This should be
done in a relaxed way. Even if one forgets to pay attention to the foot, there is nothing wrong: one notices thinking,
thinking. In this way one approaches the goal to be mindful all the time, without needing a high form of
concentration.
The Five Hindrances
It still may happen that the mind is sidetracked by one of the five hindrances: desire, aversion, sleepiness,
restlessness, and doubt. No need to dispair: one simply notices them by using the right naming: desire, aversion,
sleepiness, restlessness, or doubt. For the first two it is important to train oneself not to enter the object of desire or
aversion. First one gently pushes the disire and its object away. If this doesnt work, then one switches: one takes the
desire as object of meditation. This consists of stating O, desire; desire. Or if there is aversion, then one states O,
aversion; aversion. One tries to do this in an equanimous way. Like a sailor who knows the sea and even if there are
waves so big that he or she gets wet continuous to navigate. As cool as possible. In case one becomes restless, i.e. one
cannot be equanimous, then one names this as restlessness, restlessness. This again is an act of mindfulness that
possibly creates some distance between ourselves and the conditioning. Doubt is a hindrance that can be helped by
being in the group: one feels encouraged by the others. One also can get inspired by teachers or books describing the
method. And sometimes discipline asks us to react as follows: Really I do not like to do this; but I am just doing it.
Soon we may make an insightful discovery. Then the dull discipline gets transformed in discipline with joy.
When concentration is sufficient, one can change from naming to noting. This just observes what happens (like
raising), but without needing language, which is always only an approximation of awareness. Noting is a more
refined form of mindfulness, only possible after some concentration has grown. On its turn it can reinforce the
concentration. But at later stages we may need to go back to the naming.

Summary 2
The Five Helpers
It cannot be emphasized enough how crucial are mind-states. They determine whether we are creative or destructive,
happy or depressed, calm or restless. In short: mind-states determine the quality of our lives. If we spill a capuccino,
then we usually clean it immediately. If we have a negative mind-state, i.e. one that leads to suffering, then we often do
not do anything: because we dont know that one can do anything at all. But one can.
The five helpers: 1. Confidence; 2. effort; 3. mindfulness; 4. concentration; 5. knowledge.
It is important that mindfulness is pure: observing without judgement, or hidden agenda. Only then it works. Create a
small distance between observation and its content. Not between the observer (subject) and the object. There is no
subject: just observation.
Lesson 2
The Five Helpers
Our consciousness always has a content and a coloring. We may see an ordinary like this eraser with calmness or with
aversion. The calmness or aversion or whatever is the coloring, also called mind-state. The eraser is the content, also
called object, of consciousness. Usually people are concerned with optimizing objects: one wants an attractive or
reliable partner, a fast or compact car, and a large or comfortable house. The reason is that we think these objects give
us joy. Often this may be the case, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying this. But also often this is not the case.
Meditation is directed to optimizing the mind-states. Concentration meditation maximizes positive states, like
tranquility, unconditional love, and flexibility. Insight meditation minimizes negative states, like restlessness,
jealousy, and hatred. In this course we will practise both. One needs concentration for insight. Moreover insight is very
helpful, but not absolutely necessary, for concentration.
The Deconditioning, also called purification, happens when we clearly see in our mind and body the mechanism of
sensory input, affective valence (liking, disliking, or neither), thinking, mental states, and actions. This intuitive
insight doesnt come at will. In order to obtain insight one needs concentration. Concentration is the capacity to
stay what happens here and now (staying away from thoughts about the past and future) also does not come at will. It
needs to be developed, in a way similar to the development of muscles and stamina in an athlete. In order to abtain
concentration one needs discipline. Now discipline can be done at will. Then starts the following path of mental
development towards purification.
discipline > concentration > insight
The meditator can have smaller and larger forms of purification. It is a gradual process with at times, when the
practise is mature, a sudden jump. This is not unlike studying, say physics, where one needs discipline, concentration
in order to obtain smaller and bigger insights that come suddenly (Eureka). A little bit of discipline, including
patience, suffices for increasing a bit our concentration, which increases a little bit insight leading to some purification.
This in term enables the path to be reiterated and strengthened.
There are the five hindrances that may come during the practise of meditation: desire, aversion, restlessness,
sleepiness, and doubt. These are called hindrances, as they decrease our discipline. When there is desire or
aversion, then we should learn not to be concerned with the object of our desire or aversion, but to the desire or
aversion itself. One way to deal with this is to leave the basis exercise (attention to raising-falling or to the footsteps)
and switch gears: one observes O, desire, or O, aversion, taking the mind-state as meditation object. One tries to do
this in an equanimous way. For restlessness the walking exercise, with its built-in moments of rest, may be used. The
restlessness may go away soon, or it may take a little longer. With patience one does the exercise of observing whatever
happens. Sooner or later the restlessness will go away. But one should not wait for this. One surrenders to the exercise
and has confidence that it will go. For sleepiness effort to stay with the observing mind may help. If it does not, one
may sleep a few moments with the intention to wake up freshly. In a retreat more specific exercises will be given.
Doubt can be countered by understanding and experience. If one does not yet succeed, then one just continues the
practise.
A hindrance only needs to be addressed if it hinders. If one can observe the rising and falling well, but there is a slight
desire, say for an espresso, then one remains with the breathing. If, however, the desire for the espresso becomes large,
bigger than the noticing of the raising and falling, only then one switches to naming or noting the hindrance: desire,
desire. Do not mention the espresso: not the objects (the espresso) of the mind, but the states (the desire) are relevant.
The teachers say: Observe the objects of the basis exercise, or whatever is the most prominent.
There are the five helpers in our meditation: confidence, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and
understanding. These corresponds to the fingers of a hand. Confidence and understanding with the thumb and the
little finger: we need these but they should be moderate, otherwise they become dogma and intellectualizing. Effort
and concentration correspond to the index and ring-finger: they should be about equally long, otherwise one is restless
or sleepy. Finally mindfulness corresponds to the middle finger: it preferably is as long as possible. With the five
helpers one counters the five hindrances with as temporary goal to obtain a mindfulness that is more and more
continuous.

It may happen that we were able to observe well our breathing, or the hindrances, which often brings joy. But then
during the next sitting or walking session, it seems that all is lost. This may be caused by discovering that being
mindful, i.e. paying attention with impartial equanimity, helps us to remove unpleasant mind-states. Deep in us there
is a feeling of: Aha, meditating really works. Let me use it to get rid of all unpleasant things. But then our intention is
not equanimous: we do it in order to gain something. This is attention, but not pure mindfulness, which has to be
without discrimination. The fact that we want to attain something makes the mindfulness corrupt! We may wrestle to
get the pure mindfulness back. It usually does not work. We may become restless with a strong aversion. Etcetera.
How to get out of this? By surrendering: This is not the way. One restarts from scratch, using again the naming
technique: raising, falling; right goes thus, left goes thus. One may need to use naming in a powerful way. After a while
one can use it more gently. And after that one can use the noting again. One regains the power to be purely mindful.
The phases of building up towards mindfulness, it becoming corrupt, and restarting will repeat themselves possibly
many times. Do not worry, this is part of the purification. Colleague vipassana teacher Henk van Voorst calls this the
washingmachine model: there is a phase of working hard to increase concentration and mindfulness; then there is a
phase of enjoying it. By our ingrained conditioning to do what is best for us the mindfulness gets corrupted and we
have to restart. This is to be repeated many times. The first phase is the washing phase, the second one the rinsing
phase.
So keep it simple: just sit and walk and simply observe the rising-falling or the stepping without judgement, whatever
may happen. In the same way observe the hindrances, in case they are more prominent than the basis objects of
meditation. That is all there is to do. One is advised to meditate everyday at least 4 minutes (then there is no excuse
that one doesnt have the time). Doing it one will probably see that it feels good and one may practise longer. Sitting
or walking.

Summary 3
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
1. Sensory input
2. Feelings (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral)
3. Mind: 3a. Thinking 3b. Mind-states
4. Conditionings
All phenomena that appear can be classified, named or noted, under one of these categories. One does this while
keeping the foundation for at least a couple of moments. Strong conditioning is often caused by coalitions of feelings
and thoughts/mind-states. Distangeling this coalition helps domesticating the conditioning.
Lesson 3
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness
During sitting and walking concentration does not come by itself, nor can it be enforced. But it can be developed. By
either energetically deciding to stay on the principal topic of meditation, or by using less effort but more patience,
every time gently returning to the basis topic. To make this task easier we have learnt to switch: paying attention to the
most prominent visitor that disturbs the meditation.
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness form a model to streamline this switching in our meditation. 1. Sensory
input, also called body. This is input from the five physical sense: body, eye, ear, nose and tongue. The basis
exercises belong to this foundation. If there is a loud sound we can call this as hearing. A distracting odour as
smelling. Etcetera. 2. Feelings. This denotes the appreciation that arises immediately after receiving input; it can be
pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. 3. Mind: 3a Thinking, conceptualizing. It consists of the stream of ideas that one has
as effect of the input. Some people call it rational thinking'; but it is more an automatized non-stop train of thoughts,
sometimes adequate for daily life sometimes not. 3b. Mind-states. These are related to emotions, but there are
differences. First of all, emotions are better described as coalitions between mind-states and reactions. Secondly, there
are mind-states that are not usually classified as being related to an emotion, like being concentrated or restless, like
being alert, or sleepy. Mind-states act like mental sunglasses colouring the consciousness in a particular way. The
mind-state of happiness colours everything that comes to us in a positive way; that of aversion in a negative way. 4.
Conditionings, also called mind-objects. Depending on the input, feeling, thinking, and mind-state one reacts in
a certain way. Among other things, these reactions may range over unwholesome, childish, creative, compassionate,
and wholesome actions. The five hindrances, when they disturb us, are called this way, because they influence
meditation, by breaking down our discipline. The five hindrances also are related to five mind-states with the same
name. When for example aversion is seen mindfully as aversion, without reacting to it in the usual way, then it is
aversion as mind-state and one meditates well by observing it. But if it is aversion with impatience wishing it to be
over, then it is a mind-object/conditioning.
There is an increasing level of being involved with the phenomenal input. It starts with contact with our senses in the
form of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, or touching; thinking is seen also as such sensory input (but this time not
from the physical senses, but from the mind-sense). If possible we remain with it mindfully. If this is not possible, then
feeling may become prominent and one names or notes it mindfully, that is with equanimity, applying it both to
unpleasant and pleasant feelings. If one is able to remain mindfully with the feeling one does so for a few moments,
and then one goes back to the basis exercise. If one cannot become or remain mindful at the feeling, it gets
transformed to a mind-state. Again we have a chance to mindful, before it gets worse. If one succeeds in doing this,
one remains a few moments with the mind-state, and then one returns to the basis exercise. It may be necessary, from
time to time to go back with mindful attention to the mind-state. If one cannot observe mindfully the mind-state, and
from time to time that may and will happen, then it is transformed into a conditioning. These tend to last for a longer
time. But one should not remain in them. One goes back to naming and one says, for example, aversion, aversion, or
just simply knowing, knowing (that the aversion is there). This already softens the aversion, as now the focus is on
knowing aversion, not being aversion. And then after a while, even if the conditioning is not yet over, one purposefully
goes back to the basis exercise, e.g. raising-falling, using powerful naming in order to stay away from the aversive
conditioning. One may have to alternate: raising-falling, knowing, raising-falling, knowing, etcetera. After some
time the aversion will fade away and one remains with the basis exercise, possibly now using naming, in more pleasant
circumstances. This now creates a sense of urgency, to remain carefully with the mindful breathing, as it is definitely
more peaceful than the work needed to domesticate a negative conditioning.
If the conditioning comes with positive feeling, also then one is advised to do the same, for example naming or noting
desire, desire, and then knowing, knowing, returning to a forceful raising-falling, and finally softening it. The
reason is that an unacknowledged pleasurable conditioning, may turn to its opposite, in case the situation changes.
And our goal is to become unconditioned.
It is important to understand the difference between input-feeling-state-conditioning. Let us start with a pleasant or
beautiful object. As soon as we have observed it, pleasant feeling arises. There is a difference in the seeing of beauty
and the resulting pleasant feeling. Mindfulness has to be fast to see this. Then there is a difference between the

pleasant feeling and the possible desire to continue this experience. In the latter case we want to have the pleasant
feeling, and usually also the object causing it. Finally, there may be impulses and actions in us to actually obtain the
object. For example, we may see a beautiful object in a shop window, we may get pleasant feeling, we may get a desire
to have it, and finally we may walk in the shop to buy it. At each point in the chain it is possible that strong
concentrated mindfulness prevents one to go to the next level of involvement. The same applies to unpleasant things,
like pain in our body when we sit. First it is just a physical awareness; then this may turn into an uncomfortable
feeling; then we may get aversion, wanting it to be absent; finally we may move our body to escape the pain.
In our meditation we may try to prolong the time we are with pain in an equanimous way. But only if we dont do harm
to our body. Before starting to meditate, one may make the wish, it can actually help, to be for some longer time in the
peaceful mind-state of the right mindfulness.

Summary 4
The four Noble Thruths (4NT)
1. There is suffering
2. There is a cause of suffering: craving
3. There is a way to eliminate suffering: stopping craving
4. A description of the eight-fold path to eliminate suffering:
Discipline/morality
Right action
Right speech
Right profession
Meditation
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right concentration
Insight/wisdom
Right intention
Right view
Lesson 4
The Four Noble Truths (4NT)
Formulated in a very compact way, the 4NT are the following.
1. There is suffering.
2. This suffering has a cause: craving.
3. This cause can be eliminated: cessation craving.
4. There is the eight-fold path to do this.
Providing some more detail the 4NT state the following.
1. There is suffering. Not just avoidable suffering, but existential
suffering based on ignorance. This suffering seems unavoidable,
but it is not, and moreover creates via greed and hatred a
massive amount of avoidable suffering.
2. This existential suffering has a cause: craving based on
(the) wrong view (that our ego is the boss, has ultimate control).
3. This cause can be eliminated, by obtaining the right view.
4. There is a systematic way to perform this elimination:
the eightfold path. It consists of the
right conduct, the right meditation, and the right wisdom,
in short: discipline---concentration---insight,
already encountered before.
Now we give even more detail.
1. There is suffering. Sometimes this is even rendered as
"All life is suffering". When meditators are consequently shocked
by this 'ultimate negative view', the teacher may give the
first translation (in bold). But one also can give a
slightly different meaning to the word 'suffering',
namely as 'conditioned'. Moreover, this conditioning
is felt as suffering, since we want to be in control
(the second truth). Then the third truth does not come as
'we can get control', but as 'we can do with less control',
which will come as a huge relief.
The following prayer, often attributed to San Franciscus,
but written by Thomas More (when waiting for his execution
ordered by king Henry the VIII):
"O Lord, give me the force to change what can be changed,
the patience to endure what cannot be changed,
and the wisdom to know the difference between these two."
For the first part of the prayer it is best to resort to
science and technology, and to develop these further. But

it is good to remember that there are things that are not cheap, not
legal, not ethical, not ecological, and finally simply not possible.
We would have liked to be all powerful, and able to change
everything. The first four items of this list (not cheap, legal,
ethical, ecological) make that if we nevertheless do make a change,
others will suffer. But because of the last item (not possible) we
have to learn to be patient. A dictator comes far: he just prints
money, changes laws to his comfort, does not have a conscience, and
does not care about the environment. Still, a dictator will fail
to be the ultimate boss: the laws of nature cannot be changed.
[For examples of a dictator one may think of several ones from past
or present, but also of society as a whole.]
It is meditation that can fulfil the second and third part of the
above prayer. That is highly needed for individuals and society.
2, 3. This suffering has a cause, which can be eliminated.
Is it possible to overcome even the ultimate existential suffering
caused by death and other causes? It is: by obtaining a radically
different view of ourselves. Not considering the ego as a
fixed centre of control, but as a process that unfolds, develops,
and is basically transpersonal. But for good evolutionary reasons
we take ego too seriously. Ego is not a thing, not an entity, but
a process. Homo sapiens is very good at reifying processes, making
them into a thing. In this way we can hunt: seeing a wave of moving
leaves in a forest means: "There is a prey, let us catch it".
In the same way we reify the stream of input, feelings, perceptions,
mind-states, and actions. We conclude: there is a permanent
somebody, 'me', and are conditioned to defend this view.
But this view is only useful in so far it is possible to do defend
ourselves. In many cases we cannot, not only at the moment of death,
but also not at the zillions of moments during the day that we are
conditioned, that our physical and mental homeostasis is being
challenged.
4. The way to the end of suffering. We better let go of this
wrong view of ego as a permanent entity in control of matters. But
that is easier said than understood, and again easier understood
than done. We need the eightfold path, consisting of three layers.
Ia. Right speech.
Ib. Right action.
Ic. Right profession.
IIa. Right concentration.
IIb. Right effort.
IIc. Right mindfulness.
IIIa. Right intention.
IIIb. Right view.
Layer I is about discipline, ethical conduct. If we meditate well,
but have as profession to be a killer, then we will not get
deconditioned. The same holds for lying and harming ourselves or
others. Lying requires to have two models of the world, the actual
one and the decieving one. This just takes too much energy.
Moreover, it is counterproductive: harming others will have a
negative effect on us. Often in the form of aggression or negativity
by the ones that we harmed, or by the police. But the ultimate
reason is that if we harm out of greed or hatred, we act with the
illusion to be in control. This action reinforces our addiction to
the wrong view that hold us conditioned.
Layer II is about the meditation, that can be called 'concentrated,

active mindfulness'. It is covered in our first three lessons.

Layer III is about the
We already encountered
pleasure, then this is
We need the right view
emotions and ego as an

insight. Both at the start and as a result.

this: if we use mindfulness to get more
biased mindfulness, and it does not work.
on the ultimate goal. To see our thoughts,
impersonal streaming energy.

Finally there is yet another more detailed level of the 4NT: your practice!

Summary 5
The three Fundamental Characteristics
The three fundamental characteristics of existence, that is of consciousness, are the following.
1. Non-permanence (chaos)
2. Suffering
(nausea)
3. Non-self
(beyond-control).
The meaning is that all phenomena incessantly come and go, in their own way, without a central controlling unit. The
wrong view that we do have control over body and mind, together with its resulting craving, then cause existential
suffering. This wrong view comes from the over-conditioning of having reified the process of our partial control into an
ego. The perceived need to protect this ego causes obsessive behaviour and thereby unnecessary harm to ourselves,
others and the world.
Interestingly, in Mahayana Buddhism the three fundamental characteristics are
1. Non-permanence (change)
2. Nirwana
(cessation)
3. Non-self
(phenomena are transpersonal).
The meaning is that from the moment we let go of this wrong view, and thereby from the need to hold on to an illusory
substantial centre of control, the existential suffering has gone. As a consequence the mission impossible to protect
this illusory ego is withdrawn, opening the road to triple peace: with ourselves, others, and the world.
Lesson 5
The three Fundamental Characteristics
During our practice, there often are hindrances, like tension in our legs, unpleasant feeling, pain (strongly unpleasant
feeling), disliking it (aversion), getting tense and moving in vain to get relief. Using the four Foundations of
Mindfulness, we can observe this as follows.
Tension: body.
Unpleasantness, pain: feeling.
Disliking, aversion: mind-state.
Tension resulting in moving: conditioning.
If we see clearly these components of the total, then there is less or no suffering. In this way the knot gets disentangled,
or better, the rope that binds us gets untwisted. Similar untwisting may be happening at desirable objects in our
consciousness, combined with liking and lust. In this way, during the practice one may have to untwist the rope of
the many fetters that hold us captured. One can do this with patience, one by one, staying at least some moments in
each foundation. It brings relief. At some point, and we discuss this now theoretically to be verified later in your
practise, we may feel empty. The fetters had been in some sense a mental hold. At the same time more and more
fetters pop-up so that the untwisting process gains speed. One sees that the mind is an impersonal process of tangled
components, coming and going very fast. This may give a strong aversion. At that moment one perceives the
three fundamental characteristics of existence (actually of consciousness):
instabilitysufferingselflessness.
Other words that render the experience: chaosnauseabeyond-control.
Because of sharp vision one can see all these processes. They are real, not imagined: there are many mental and
physical processes in our mind and brain. Knowing that this experience may happen, one is somewhat prepared. But
now the suffering part of the experience has to be domesticated (not conquered). This is done in a way comparable
to what someone has to learn in order to surf. The sea is unstable, the waves are beyond control. At first one has a
strong aversion against the experience. But by looking sharp, an experienced surfer sees the coming waves and slides
over them. As long as we have not yet domesticated the waves, i.e. the three characteristics, we try to hide them by
compulsory feeling, thinking, acting. We are addicted to this hiding, and this addiction has a lot of unwholesome sideeffects. This is what is behind the second Noble Truth. This is the dark night of the soul spoken of by Saint John of the
Cross, mentioned by Jung as the inner darkness, and also known to the existentialists. Because of psychological
defence mechanisms one may come to the stage of the three characteristics only after some longer time.
One cannot say that ego exists, nor that it does not exist. Ego is a process consisting of input, appreciation, and
action, depending on thoughts and state of mind. We reify it, that is imagine it as a thing, and then identify with this
thing. Homo sapiens is very good in reifying processes as things. Propagation of ripples in water is called a wave, and
we say that it moves to the shore. But no drop of water goes to the shore, there is only displacement of the process.
Now, observing the characteristics of non-permanence and selflessness, our conditioning causes the mind to be in an
alarm phase: the reifying of our agency as a substantial object does not function any longer. Unfortunately this is in
daily life often treated by symptomatic reactions, like feeling, thinking, and doing all those things that constitute our
personality. These have considerable side effects in the form of suffering.
The right reaction, consisting of diligent practise of the eightfold path, has a truly liberating effect. Using reinforced
discipline (with the right intention and understanding, and the consequent vigorous, but at the same time gentle,

naming described in lesson 3) one continues the practise. Sitting and especially walking with its moments of
relaxation, bring equanimity. Phases of anxiety, feeling threatened, and disenchantment come by. If treated well, using
the methods of previous lessons, one can handle these and eventually one will arrive at a phase of equanimity. The
exact amount of time this takes depends on the personality of the meditator. In case of minor past traumas, getting to
the equanimity phase may take longer and patience will be needed. Having reached the equanimous stage is an
important milestone in the process of deconditioning. This work can be done best in the safe environment of a
meditation retreat. The three characteristics are transformed to what later was called in Mahayana Buddhism
non-permanencenirwanaselflessness.
By cessation of craving (nirwana) for control, one is deconditioned. Both versions of the three characteristics are the
same, depending on the side one looks at it: in the presence or absence of craving.
Notes. 1. Some people have a latency to psychosis. They better do not practise vipassana in a longer intensive retreat,
as it may trigger the psychosis. 2. The same advice applies in case of unresolved major traumas. Then a preliminary
psychotherapeutic path and/or meditation directed to loving-kindness and compassion may be advisable. For this
reason persons under psychiatric treatment or taking psychoactive drugs should both get permission of their
psychiatrist to follow an intensive retreat and discuss with the meditation teacher whether participation is advisable. 3.
The three characteristics, if undergone well, do not lead to dissociation. This because all mental phenomena remain
visible, while in a clinical dissociation some components of consciousness and its state are not accessible any longer.
The phenomena in the three characteristics are considered as leading to disidentification, a first major step towards
breaking the addiction to ego. 4. The American philosopher Ken Wilber states (as hypothesis) that many persons with
mental problems are really having spiritual crises (like the ones related to coming close to the three characteristics); he
adds that one should not make the mistake to consider all clinical mental problems as spiritual crises. Consciousness
research may eventually determine the correctness of this far-reaching hypothesis.

Summary 6
The seven factors of enlightenment
1. Energy (~Effort)
2. Mindfulness
3. Concentration
4. Investigation (~knowledge)
5. Equanimity
6. Tranquility
7. Joy.
After making a strong determination to go on practising and at the same time surrendering one may obtain a
moment of consciousness with no object, except pure consciousness. This is called nibbana and has, when
encountered the first time, a strong deconditioning effect. Wrong view leading to clinging to self, which is a major
source of suffering (involving oneself, others and the world at large) has been eliminated. As a consequence there is no
more (exisitential) doubt.
Three deeper levels of purification are possible in which greed, aversion, pride, sleepiness, restlessness, desire for
existence and ignorance are rooted out. Then it has become quite easy to develop and maintain the qualities of the
heavenly places': equanimity, loving-kindness, compassion, and shared joy.
Lesson 6
The seven Factors of Enlightenment
So far the milestones on the path, encountered in practice or in theory, can be summarized as follows.
* One makes the intention to develop ones mind, using discipline, concentration, towards wisdom (each time a small
step in the direction of wisdom is made, one can use it to have more discipline, resulting in more concentration,
etcetera).
* One learns the method of vipassana: its naming and noting, its switching, dealing with the hindrances via the
helpers, and the theory of the four foundations of mindfulness, giving a classification into four types of objects; they
are used to provide support for the stability of mindfulness.
* On deals with the coarser hindrances, by untangling the coalitions of factors that make them strong.
* One encounters the three fundamental characteristics of existence:
non-permanence, suffering, and self-lessness (uncontrolability).
While making aquaintance with these, it is good to remember that the suffering aspect can be domesticated.
* With enforced discipline and concentration one reaches the state of equanimity, independently of the state of mind
that is present.
It was here that we left our story, last week.
* Then one develops the so called seven factors of enlightenment.
The first four are essentially four of the five helpers (confidence is not mentioned,
because it is no longer needed at the time the other factors appear).
1. Energy (comming from effort)
2. Mindfulness
3. Concentration
4. Investigation (towards knowledge).
Then there are three more factors needed.
5. Equanimity (already developed to some extent in our theoretical story)
6. Tranquility
7. Joy.
Some explanation is in place. After the powerful experience of the three characteristics, it is already quite a relief to
reach an equanimous state. So what can tranquility and joy add to this? Well, one may compare equanimity to the
state of mind of a sailor in a storm: even if the waves are large and sometimes go over him, with a steady mind he
continues to sail. The state of tranquility may be compared to the state of mind of a sailor when the storm has settled.
And the state of joy to that when the sun starts shining.
* By now the meditator has developed the mind with the seven factors of enlightenment. But one is not yet
enlightened! What is needed is one the one hand a strong determination to go on, and at the other hand a total
surrendering. (These look like contradicting each other, but one simply takes the middle way.) It is surrendering to
mindfulness and wisdom. Before the final step happens, hindrances may come back. In the form of frightening or
seductive images, in the form of boredom or interest. The meditator should now that all of these phenomena are
distractions. With the seven factors this should not be difficult, otherwise the practice is not yet mature. Either way,
one just goes on.
* The finishing step. What is important is to realize that this step cannot be done by us: it has to happen. That is
similar to the Divine Grace in the theistic religions. [A possible neurophysiological interpretation of this is the

following. If we want to do something, the neurons that are in favour of this behaviour should be in the majority, their
number should exceed that of the neurons that act inhibiting. By gradually developing the right attitude and other
skills, suddenly the neurons obtain the majority.]
* And then it may happen. Consciousness is fully present. But there is not any (ordinary) object. One is aware of
consciousness itself. This is called nibbana (in English or Italian nirvana). All objects, both physical and mental, have
disappeared. Nevertheless there is awareness. It works as a kind of resetting of the consciousness process. At this very
moment the circle of conditioning is broken. There is no more craving to be the imagined boss. This, because one has
the clear peaceful insight that there is no boss, that all phenomena are conditioned by the laws of nature. During the
three characteristics one was fighting this dawning view. Now one has accepted it. The wordt nibbana literally means
cessation and is called this way, as the experience causes the fundamental craving to stop once and for all.
This first time momentary view of nibbana is called maggacitta or path-conciousness. Immediately after that a few
moments of consciousness arise that are called phala or fruit of the path. During those moments nibbana remains,
but does not have the liberating effect any longer: one already is liberated. After that normal consciousness returns,
with an object and a mind-state. But the meditator understands that an important negative state of mind will not come
back any longer: wrong view (believing in ego as something substantial) and its side-effect consisting of existential
doubt.
What as been described is the first stage of purification. After this there are three more stages possible. At the second
stage the ingredients greed and aversion are diluted. At the third stage they are eliminated (greed only for sensory
craving). At the fourth last stage one eliminates pride, sleepiness, restlessness, desire for existence, and ignorance.
Now the meditator is an arhat, a fully enlightened person.
Even then one may (need to) continue to practise: although all negative states have been eliminated, one can now
develop more positive states (remember the different goals of concentration and insight meditation, cf. lesson 2).
These include loving-kindness, compassion, and shared joy.
In the later Mahayana Buddhism (starting around 100 A.D.) one emphasizes the development of positive qualities and
practises them first. In the original Theravada Buddhism one emphasizes the elimination of negative states and sets
this as goal. One also can take the middle way, in which both are practised. Such a road has been described in the
canonical texts, the suttas.
One day retreat
Combining all that has been learned, with friendliness, patience, and dignity. Do not expect anything, just go on. Also
one needs a certain amount of determination and at the same time an attitude of surrendering. These seem
opposites. But it can be done: just take the middle way.